By Ronnie Hughes
JASPER — A high-flying Bridge City Cardinal offensive attack was not enough Friday
to down the Jasper Bulldogs.
The Cardinals piled on 354 yards of offense but ultimately it was defensive miscues in the second half that led to a heartbreaking 48-47 loss to the Bulldogs at Bulldog Stadium.
The Cardinals (4-2, 1-1) had no answer for Bulldogs quarterback Tiger Williams who threw for 223 yards and rushed for 139 on the night including a 15-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left in the game that crushed the hopes of Cardinal fans.
He notched a total of five touchdowns in the Bulldogs (4-3, 3-0) come from behind win.
Bridge City received the opening kick-off and put the pedal to the metal early with Zach Honeycut returning the kickoff, 72 yards. Cayce Draper capped the drive three plays later with an 11-yard touchdown run for an early 7-0 advantage with 10:33 remaining in the first quarter.
Draper finished with 108 yards rushing and two scores.
Jasper started its first drive from their own 36 and quickly exploited the Cardinal secondary. Ashton Thomas was able to get behind the safety on a skinny post route for a 48-yard reception from Williams which set-up first and goal. Bulldog running back Decorian Holmes hammered up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown. The extra-point attempt was blocked to keep the Cardinals ahead, 7-6.
The Cardinals went right back to work driving 62 yards on their next possession. Derick Dearing found daylight off the left side and worked the sidelines for a 48-yard touchdown run. Wearing bruised his way to 103 yards on just six carries.
Following a Jasper turnover on downs, Cardinal quarterback Camden DuBois hit Draper on a 44-yard screen pass. Colt Poole finished off the drive with an 11-yard run to push the Cards’ up by two scores, 21-6.
The Cardinal fan excitement was short lived after Jakeithon Adams returned the
following kickoff 90 yards for a Bulldog touchdown and inched them closer, 21-13, at the end of the first quarter. Adams finished the game with three receptions and 44 yards.
Both teams battled for the first half of the second quarter with neither team producing any offense until the five-minute mark. DuBois got the Cardinal offense moving again and capped a six-play drive with an 18-yard touchdown run for a 28-13 lead.
Williams again gave the Bulldog offense a boost, marching 68 yards then finishing with a 12-yard touchdown run to pull within one score, 28-20. Dearing notched his second touchdown of the night four plays later to again put the Cardinals’ ahead by two scores, 34-20.

There was 39 seconds left for the Bulldogs to work with in the half which was just
enough for Williams and company to go 64 yards and pull the score to within 34-27 at the half with Bridge City clinging to a lead.
Jasper opened the second half going three-and-out on their first possession. They’d soon find themselves in a 41-27 hole after Draper rumbled for a 31-yard touchdown run for the Cardinals. Jasper would answer back to end the third quarter with another Williams touchdown as he shoved the pile forward for a three -yard touchdown. Bridge City led 41-34 after three quarters of play.
A Cardinal fumble just minutes into the fourth quarter allowed Jasper to erase what was once a two-score game and tie the game at 41 after the Bulldogs capitalized off the turnover with Williams slipping in the end zone again.
Bridge City showed no sign of defeat as they roared back. DuBois gathered the troops and marched the field with Dearing scooting in from 15 yards out with just over a minute to play to give the Cardinals a 47-41 edge.
The end of the second half however turned out to be the same scenario as the first
leaving the Bulldogs 23 seconds too much on the clock with Williams capping his MVP performance for the win.
The Cardinals will regroup after allowing Jasper 431 yards of offense and return home to host Little Cypress-Mauriceville next Friday.